Tags

Astana- A Jewel City in Barren Steppes

There are cities, famous for their ancient
architecture and there are cities that are famous for modern construction. But
the capital of Kazakhstan is a city that is known for its futuristic
architecture in the isolated Kazakh steppes. The city of Astana serves as the
political and business centre of Kazakhstan. It is home to all the prominent
institutions of the country like Supreme Court, Parliament House, Senate, Presidential
Palace, etc.

After splitting from the Soviet Union, Nursultan
Nazarbayev has become the undisputed leader of Kazakhstan. He tried to reaffirm
the traditional Kazakh identity that was wiped out during the Soviet reign.
President Nursultan Nazarbayev started speckling the capital city with Kazakh’s
historical symbols. For this purpose, he shifted the capital city of Almaty and
planned a new city amidst the barren steppes. This new city got its name
Astana, which means capital in Kazakh’s language.

Planned capital cities are not a new
phenomenon. The city of Brasilia in Brazil, Canberra in Australia, and Washington,
D.C. in the USA are the finest example of planned capital cities. The capital
city has some unique features in it. Astana city has a mirage likean image, as it is established in the middle of barren steppes. The
city doesn’t have a single neighbouring metropolitan around 1200 km of it. It
is hard to believe that 15 years earlier the city was non-existent. The
population of this place starts increasing after President Nursultan Nazarbayev
shifted the capital to this city. Even after having marvellous buildings, the
city lacks the residential zones. With a population of less than a million, the
density is around 1000 people per square kilometre. The government officials
commute by plane from the former capital of Almaty. Since there is very less
habitation in the city, the city looks like a ghost town.

For an outsider, the architecture of Astana
seems incongruent, but there is a prominent Kazakh theme that runs through it.
The central concert hall resembles the Dombra, a traditional Kazakh instrument,
whereas the most enduring icon, Bayterek is inspired by a Turkic folktale of
the “Tree of life”. The golden orb on the top of the building symbolises the
golden egg in the story. The symbol is derived from the tale of Samruk, which
is a magical bird of happiness. The capital city is ambitious to make its mark
on international media. Astana is a potential city for the Kazakhstan’s bid for
the 2022 winter Olympics. This year the city will host an international
convention on sustainable energy options.

From barren grassland to an international
city, Astana has covered a long journey. Architects from all over the world
came together to build the skyline of the city. A Rome-based architect,
Manfredi Nicoletti has designed the central concert hall. The internationally
acclaimed architects, including British architect Norman Foster and Japanese
Kisho Kurokawa, designed the other magnificent buildings. The ultra-modern
design of the capital city confirms the Kazakhstan’s ambition and aspiration to
stand apart from the Soviet Union and establish its cultural identity, which
was mottled by Soviet rule.